CSIR, TIA & SANSA Annual Performance Plans 2026/27; Outstanding matters on DSTI and NACI APP; with Deputy Minister

Video Annual Performance Plan (APP) of Government Departments & Entities 2026/27 The Portfolio Committee met to review the annual performance plans and budgets of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and its entities, focusing on governance, funding constraints, performance, and accountability. The meeting began with Members raising unresolved issues from a previous session, criticising the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) for not addressing earlier questions and expressing frustration over vague responses on commercialisation, vaccine strategy, artificial intelligence programmes, and South Africa’s space ambitions. Concerns were also raised about underfunding across the Department and its entities, spending on external projects such as Denel, and the removal of the 5% disability employment target from the annual performance plan. The Department responded that the target had been removed due to a hiring freeze pending structural approval, but Members criticised this explanation as lacking transparency. The DSTI acknowledged gaps in its responses, apologised, and committed to providing written answers. The Committee resolved to create a formal matrix to track all unanswered questions and require written responses within a week. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) then presented its strategy, highlighting its role in research, innovation, and commercialisation. Members questioned its financial sustainability, declining government grants, infrastructure backlogs, skills shortages, transformation, and reliance on external income. The CSIR responded that limited state funding had increased its dependence on contract and international funding, its infrastructure was under pressure, and talent retention remained difficult due to private sector competition. It said that commercialisation was selective because of the high costs and risks involved. The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) presentation focused on innovation commercialisation, support for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), governance reform, and operational efficiency. Members raised concerns about low conversion rates of prototypes into market-ready products, uncertain external funding, governance weaknesses, vacancies, slow turnaround times, duplication with other entities, weak support tracking for SMMEs, declining patents, and limited evidence of job creation. The TIA acknowledged past governance and capacity problems, but said reforms were underway under new leadership. It defended low commercialisation rates as typical in high risk innovation funding, introduced “TIA 2.0” as a new strategy to strengthen the innovation ecosystem through partnerships, and reported stable finances, improved liquidity, and plans to improve operational efficiency and grassroots innovation support. The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) briefing focused on the EOSAT-1 satellite project, South Africa’s space capabilities, and reducing dependence on foreign satellite data. Members raised concerns about SANSA’s financial sustainability, governance, underfunding, project delays, and the controversial Denel contract. Questions focused on budget allocations, revenue generation, data sovereignty, transformation targets, public engagement, and SME participation. Particular pressure was placed on SANSA to clarify whether the Denel contract had been terminated, with Members expressing concern over possible governance failures and lack of transparency. In response, SANSA acknowledged a financial deficit and project execution challenges, confirming that only R9.8 million of the R170 million EOSAT-1 allocation had been spent. It stated that the Denel contract was under review, but could not confirm termination, as it was still being handled operationally. SANSA emphasised clean audit outcomes over the past four years, continued efforts to strengthen domestic satellite capability, to improve government data services, advance space weather and CubeSat programmes, and develop young engineers, especially women. The meeting concluded with the Chairperson stressing that public funds must produce measurable socio-economic outcomes such as job creation, industrialisation, innovation, and inclusive growth. Governance, accountability, and consequence management were emphasised as non-negotiable, and the Committee committed to ongoing oversight of budgets, annual performance plans, and delivery against national priorities.